The Internet is an increasingly international network of computers that supports various forms and levels of communication. For instance, on the World Wide Web (“WWW”), information can be presented on universally available pages commonly known as “Websites.” The Internet also supports one-on-one communication between end-users via electronic email and/or Internet bulletin board services. The common denominator in every form of communication over the Internet, however, is the use of Domain names to identify the computer to be contacted. The Domain name, which is referred to as an Internet protocol (“IP”) number, is actually a unique combination of numbers separated by decimal points.
Because IP numbers can be cumbersome and difficult for Internet users to remember or practically use, the IP numbering system has been overlaid with the more user-friendly domain name system. This system allows Internet addresses to be assigned an alphanumeric designation or domain name, which directly correlates to the assigned IP number. Special computers known as domain name servers maintain tables linking domain names to their respective IP numbers.
The anatomy domain name consists of more than two parts is FIG. 6, called domain levels, separated by a period (called a “dot”). The Top-Level-Domain level (“TLD”), which is referred to by its Internet zone designation, “.com,” or “.gov.,” “.uk,”, etc., is found to the right of the dot. TLDs which represent a specific country are referred to as Country-Code TLDs, or ccTLDs. The Second-Level-Domain (“SLD”) or Third Level Domain, which is commonly referred to as the “domain name,” consists of characters (including letters, numbers, and hyphens) located immediately to the left of the dot.
For the domain name address system to operate properly, each “domain name” within a particular TLD must be unique, even if it differs from another “domain name” by only one character. In order to prevent duplicate “domain names” from being assigned, a single entity, commonly referred to as a “Registry,” is ultimately responsible for maintaining a complete database of all of the “domain names” in each particular TLD. In the majority of generic (e.g., .com, .net, .org) domain name (“gTLD”) registrations, there is little or no human intervention in the registration process. A computerized database maintained by the registry electronically records the assigned relationship between the more easily remembered domain name and its corresponding IP number (received from an international entity tasked with assigning all IP numbers) and reports this information to the TLD registry for recordation in the master database of all “domain names”. The registrar also enters into a registration agreement (contract) with each registrant, and records and maintains vital registrant contact and billing information.
Due to the vital role domain names play in Internet communication, the easy, immediate, secure, and dependable registration and maintenance of domain names is necessary to the continued rapid growth of the Internet. Traditionally, these tasks have been undertaken by a single registrar in each TLD. The Internet, however, continues to grow at unprecedented rates. For example, in 1993, there were only about one million computers linked to the Internet. By 1999, the number of Internet users had exceeded 200 million as businesses and individuals adopted the Internet for various personal and commercial uses. This phenomenal increase in the number of users obviously led to an equally impressive increase in the number of “domain name” registrations. This increase, coupled with the probable advantages brought about by free competition and choice in the registration process, has fostered and promoted the idea of multiple registrars in a single TLD.
Many companies are also realizing the importance of registering their “domain names” and trademarks in every possible TLD, including not only the gTLDs, but also the 350 plus ccTLDs across the globe. However, with over 350 possible ccTLD, each with unique registration requirements and availabilities, the registration process can be quite cumbersome. As an example, most ccTLD registries have different data formats for the registration process; and certain ccTLD registries have limited payment formats such as only accepting payments in their own country's currency. Because each ccTLD registry can have different registration processes, a global registration of a single domain name can take months.
The existing system at www.idnames.com, allows a user to search and register their “domain name(s)” in multiple ccTLDs, however the searching is not done in real-time and much of the backend registration process must be done manually by people.
As shown if FIG. 1, a typical conventional system is connected to the Internet 1 via the registrar's web server 2. The web server 2 can include multiple servers running in parallel. As users input search requests, the web server 2 compiles a search request file 11, and after a predetermined amount of time or requests are counted, web server 2 forwards the search request file 11 to the second tier, or application server 3. A typical amount of time between transfers has been approximately 30 minutes. Application server 3 combines the search request files 11 into cumulated search request file 12 and executes the search requests in seriatum against the Domain Name System (“DNS”) 6. The system can also accept and process payment information through credit card data base 7, and maintain internal records of the searches and registrations in database 8. When a particular search has been completed, the user is notified, e.g., by email or mail, so that the user can then select from among the available ccTLDs and send the selections with payment back to the registrar. Registrar personnel then orchestrate the necessary forms and payments to register the user's proposed “domain name” with each of the chosen ccTLDs.
Examples of existing online registration facilities which allow registration of domain names with several different ccTLDs can be found on the Internet at places such as, www.alldomains.com, www.register.com, www.completedomains.com, and www.netnames.com.
Of these facilities, www.completedomains.com appears to offer online submissions of payment for seemingly automated registration, but utilizes dropdown menus which require the user to select in advance a single ccTLD to search. In addition, the dropdown menu only lists the ccTLD, not the country. With over 188 ccTLDs, most users cannot easily determine which countries the ccTLD represents (i.e., is .au Austria or Australia). www.alldomains.com also requires the user to individually search every ccTLD of interest and requires the user to know the ccTLD-country correlation.
www.netnames.com only allows a user to search and register domain names online in the gTLDs (i.e., .com, net, org) or the ccTLD of the hosting company's country (in that case, the UK). The rest of the ccTLDs must be purchased offline. Similarly, www.register.com limits the user to searching for three ccTLDs at a time.
One reason why existing ccTLD searching is limited to single or small numbers of ccTLDs at any given time, is to protect the web site and associated backbone system from an overload situation. Because of the large number of ccTLDs, if numerous users attempted to search numerous ccTLDs, the existing search mechanisms would quickly bog down. Thus, providers of this type of service have either provided only offline, non-real-time searching, or limited the number of ccTLDs that can be searched at any given time to small numbers, to prevent users from inadvertently overloading their systems.
None of the existing web sites offer a complete online package that allows a user to automatically search and register available domain names in a large number of ccTLDs (e.g., 10 or more) from different countries.